4 Steps to Optimize Your Managed Print Solutions

Although working alongside an experienced managed print service (MPS) provider is the best way to streamline your in-office print process, it's not the only way. In fact, it is possible to improve your current printing environment all on your own.

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If you're wondering how to streamline your company's in-office print process without an MPS provider, we've got you covered!

Here are four steps to optimize your print environment:

1. Assess Your Current Printing Process

First, it is essential to thoroughly examine your current print process as accurately and in-depth as possible. After all, if you don't completely understand your situation, it will be impossible to determine your needs and improve on them.

A few important questions to answer about your print process:

• What brands and models are your print and copy devices?
• How many people use each device?
• Where are the devices located within the building?
• What does your average print volume look like overall, and per device?

If your business has multiple buildings or locations, make sure you're fully analyzing the print situation within each one.

2. Know Your Print Spend

After you have fully assessed your devices and their usage, it is time to understand exactly what you are currently spending on printers or copiers. This includes vendor contracts, toner, ink and paper, maintenance agreements, equipment leases, etc.

Many companies neglect to pay close attention to their print spend. Often, this leads to spending way more than they think—and way more than they have to.

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3. What Do Your End-Users Need?

So, you know what devices you have and what you're spending on them. Now, it is time to look at the needs and behaviors of the printer and copier's end-users—your team members!

First, take an honest look at which devices employees are using and why they are choosing to use them.

For example, maybe an employee has easy access to two different machines; one is a large “workhorse” machine shared by multiple people and located across the room. The other is a small, desktop printer located within arm's reach.

Understandably, that employee likely prefers and most regularly uses the desktop printer. However, this slight convenience can add up to significant costs over time. Unless there is a specific reason for an employee to have their own printer, investing in one made for multiple employees at once is almost always more cost-effective.

That being said, every company has unique needs. Law firms often require a higher printer-to-employee ratio than, say, manufacturing plants. By carefully determining everyone's needs at the team and department level—and educating them on best printing practices—you will find a solution that works both for employees and the business.

4. Right-Size Your Print Device Fleet

Now that you have done your research, it is time to take action!

"Right-sizing" your printing devices means putting the right machines in the right locations. Sometimes it can be as straightforward as moving machines to different spots within the office. Other times, it means devising more cost-effective solutions.

For example, you may have a sophisticated, multi-purpose color printer that is currently only used for basic print jobs. Swap it out for a simpler—and more affordable—machine. Otherwise, you are paying for something you do not need.

By following these easy steps, your company is well on its way to enhancing your printing environment. But while you're at it, why not go a step further and partner with a reliable MPS partner as well? It is the easiest, most efficient way to reduce your print spend while delivering a stellar end-user experience.

What is better? Without all that time spent on printer optimization, your IT team's time will be freed up to focus on your bigger business goals. Schedule a free, 15-minute, no-strings-attached call and discover how imageOne can optimize your print environment for increased productivity and reduced costs.

How can a Managed Print Services Program Improve My Business?

A business' print environment left unmanaged can get completely out of control: excess paper, toner, and ink usage, frustrated user calls to IT, and multiple vendors to manage. Across the company, people are pulling their hair out and all they want to do is print.

On top of the frustration is the invisible cost that no one can manage because no one person or department is responsible for this surprisingly massive business cost.

By implementing a managed print services program, many of these print environment issues dissipate:

• Ability to see and manage print costs – Implementing a print job accounting solution can show you exactly how much your business spends on printing down to the user level. With managed print services, you can have all of your costs of printing detailed on a single invoice, broken down by printer or cost center. All print costs are visible and become transparent to the organization.
• Keep track of print devices and deploy to the right place – Know exactly how many printing and imaging devices there are and understand the volume of each device. You will also know if the device capabilities match the volume and functional needs of the user.
• Consolidate print vendors and standardize print fleet – Concentrated purchasing practices result in fewer vendors to manage and standardized print functionality and best practices across the organization.
• Make better print environment decisions – As the overall printing and imaging environment is managed as one, all print-related decisions consider the needs of the entire organization, resulting in significantly less duplication and better utilization of existing print devices.
• Reduced IT support and overall management – Reduce the need for employee involvement to support and manage the print environment by eliminating supplies ordering tasks and help-desk calls for printer support.
• Create a paperless environment (or significant paper reduction) – Creating a paperless office makes for a more efficient workforce, significantly reduced costs, less duplication/errors with versions, and a more environmentally-friendly office.
• Improve workflow and streamline business practices – By implementing MPS best practices, office documents are controlled in a way that allows employees to be more efficient and improve print, document and overall workflow.
• Improved document control and document security – Control documents tightly using document management best practices. Prevent unauthorized access to documents and network by deploying a single security policy across the fleet. Full audit trail can allow documentation of who has accessed and modified all documents.

To realize the maximum benefits of managed print services, it is important to find the right business partner. A complete MPS assessment and recommendation can help you determine what works best for your business.

Talk to an MPS expert to find out how our proactive approach to managed print can help your business get control of your print environment and make your users happy and efficient.

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